Prince Edward and the Duchess of Edinburgh found themselves sleeping in staff quarters during the royal Christmas celebrations at Sandringham due to unprecedented space constraints at the King’s private residence, according to new claims.
Despite the grand nature of the Norfolk Estate, the royal couple were relocated to staff accommodation as the house struggled to accommodate the large gathering of family members.
According to royal commentator Rebecca English, the arrangement “sounds more glamorous than it is,” with staff having to vacate their usual quarters to make room for the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
The unusual sleeping arrangements came as King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted the traditional family Christmas at Sandringham, continuing the late Queen Elizabeth II’s festive tradition.
Duchess of Edinburgh had ‘surprising sleeping arrangement’ with Prince Edward at King’s private residence
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The royal gathering saw around 45 guests joining the festivities, as revealed by Prince William.
The Prince and Princess of Wales attended with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Mike and Zara Tindall brought their daughters Mia and Lena, while Peter Phillips attended with his children Savannah and Isla.
Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex, were also present for the family celebration.
Lady Louise Windsor joined her mother, the Duchess of Edinburgh, at SandringhamPAPrincess Anne, Princess Beatrice, and Lady Sarah Chatto were among those spotted at the annual St Mary Magdalene church service.
Notable absences included Princess Eugenie, who spent Christmas with her husband Jack Brooksbank’s family, and Prince Andrew, amid his connections to an alleged Chinese spy.
English told The Mail that Sandringham can only “fit about 16 to 18 people to have a sleepover comfortably.”
She added: “In previous years I’ve been told that they’ve actually had to kick staff out of their quarters.
Sandringham House is a massive mansion located in Norfolk
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“And Edward and Sophie were put in some of the staff quarters because they had nowhere else to stay.”
The arrangement marks a significant change for the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, whose own family mansion is set within 51 acres of land and is reported to have 120 rooms.
The space constraints at Sandringham led to these unexpected sleeping arrangements, despite the property’s grand reputation as a royal residence.
The exact size of Sandringham House remains somewhat mysterious.
Prince Edward and the Duchess of Edinburgh joined King Charles at Sandringham
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Royal commentator Richard Eden explained: “Sandringham is one of those private estates, it’s huge I mean there are about 700 homes in total on the estate.”
Speaking about the main house, he noted: “In Sandringham House itself because it’s a private residence we don’t know exactly how many bedrooms there are.”
The property is estimated to have approximately 30 bedrooms, though the exact number remains private.
The vast estate spans across the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, where King Charles and Queen Camilla relocated from their London residence, Clarence House, for the holiday period.
The extensive grounds include numerous properties within its 51-acre expanse, making the space constraints within the main house particularly noteworthy.